1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to networked gaming machines such as slot machines and video poker machines. More particularly, the present invention relates to downloading games of chance to networked gaming machines.
2. Description of Related Art
Typically, utilizing a master gaming controller, the gaming machine controls various combinations of devices that allow a player to play a game on the gaming machine and also encourage game play on the gaming machine. For example, a game played on a gaming machine usually requires a player to input money or indicia of credit into the gaming machine, indicate a wager amount, and initiate a game play. These steps require the gaming machine to control input devices, such as bill validators and coin acceptors, to accept money into the gaming machine and recognize user inputs from devices, including key pads and button pads, to determine the wager amount and initiate game play. After game play has been initiated, the gaming machine determines a game outcome, presents the game outcome to the player and may dispense an award of some type depending on the outcome of the game.
The operations described above may be carried out on the gaming machine when the gaming machine is operating as a “stand alone” unit or linked in a network of some type to a group of gaming machines. As technology in the gaming industry progresses, more and more gaming services are being provided to gaming machines via communication networks that link groups of gaming machines to a remote computer that provides one or more gaming services. As an example, gaming services that may be provided by a remote computer to a gaming machine via a communication network of some type include player tracking, accounting, cashless award ticketing, lottery, progressive games and bonus games.
Currently, in a time consuming process, gaming software is manually loaded onto each gaming machine by a technician. The software is manually loaded because the gaming software is usually very highly regulated and in most gaming jurisdictions only approved gaming software may be installed on a gaming machine. Further, the gaming software is manually loaded for security reasons to prevent the source code from being obtained by individuals who might use the source code to try to find ways of cheating the gaming machine.
Therefore, one desire within the gaming industry is to electronically download gaming software to a gaming machine. The capability to electronically download gaming software is desirable because it could enable gaming machines to be quickly reconfigured to account for changes in popularity of various games played on the gaming machines. Moreover, downloading gaming software could simplify software maintenance issues on the gaming machine, such as gaming software updates. Although some methods and devices have been proposed for downloading gaming software, it would be desirable to provide methods and devices for attaining higher levels of security and convenience. Such methods and devices would preferably provide automated measures for ensuring compliance with licensing and regulatory constraints.